Nice, France: A Model City of the Future in the Making

Cisco’s Smart+Connected Communities efforts around the world have seen both the creation of new cities and the revitalization of existing ones. Although we’re no strangers to the transformation process, it is still eye-opening to see one of the oldest areas of France well on its way to becoming a model city of the future.

Nice by Night

Last month, Cisco and city officials of Nice, France convened at the Innovative City Convention to announce a strategic collaboration in future development. In recent times, policy makers and industry leaders have increasingly been tasked with city improvement goals that require the careful integration of citizen needs, city-wide operations and prevailing infrastructures. Through the signing of an MoU, both parties have agreed to embrace a more holistic view in the next stage of planning and development for Nice. As a key technology partner, Cisco plays an important role in taking advantage of our core networking competencies to transform Nice from a physical community into a connected community. With the help of relevant technologies, we hope to create the level of innovation and socio-economic development needed to bolster the city’s sustainability, growth and global competitiveness.

As the fifth most heavily populated city in France, Nice sits on 28 square miles of land and houses around 350,000 citizens. Projects that are being put into place will largely focus on improving quality of life, creating jobs, sustaining the appeal of local industries and maintaining overall social welfare. The implementation of networked technologies will aim to provide the following:

A network of smart sensors connected to intelligent communication systems that are capable of capturing and analyzing relevant data on city operations

Mechanisms in place that will alert citizens on air/water quality and flash flood warnings

Technologies that provide drivers with pertinent information on traffic patterns and available parking, with the aim of improving traffic flow

Consumer mobile devices that help facilitate payment for services and customize on-demand data for nearby recreational activities and entertainment

In taking a more holistic approach to planning and development efforts, the city of Nice has taken on the economic and social welfare of its citizens as a priority. The development of new services and industries will effectively help create new jobs, while innovative technologies will support better education, healthcare and workplace services. As a testing ground for many of these solutions, we’re optimistic that Nice will one day serve as a model for what a smart and connected community could achieve.

3 Comments.

That all sounds really interesting. I'll make sure to follow the progress at Nice.
My favorite two initiatives are the smart sensors initiative and the "nurture and promote interaction" initiative. The "interaction" initiative sounds like it could have a lot of interesting potential.

I am a French citizen living in Austin Tx preparing to return to France. My family moved from Nice when I was a child. I have been trying to keep up with Nice for many years. I am excited about the collabration between Nice and Cisco, I have worked on Cisco software products for over 12 years and hope to work for Cisco or a company that uses Cisco products once I return to Nice. I am very excited!

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